Keepers



Jur-1e 3,` 1958 M. LoEB 2,837,361

KEEPERS Filed May l, 1956 IN1/EMDR.

KEEPERS Morris Loeb, New York, N. Y. Application May 18, 1956, Serial No. 585,842 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-15) This invention relates to keepers in general, and more especially to the type having two complemental jaws mounted in a bracket and urged int-o gripping engagement with a bolt by springs tensed between the bracket and the jaws.

Among the objects of the invention it is aimed to provide an improved keeper for a door, such as a cabinet door, having a pair of complemental jaws mounted in a bracket having side walls, which jaws are urged into gripping engagement with one another or toward one another with a bolt in locking position by springs, such as coil springs, tensed between said jaws and side walls of the bracket.

More speciiically, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved keeper characterized by two jaws having rollers at their outer gripping ends, a bracket having a base and side walls, a pivot defining area in said base, the inner free ends of the jaws engaging one another in said pivot dening area, intermediate portions of the jaws flaring outwardly, and springs tensed between said side walls and said Haring jaw portions to urge said rollers into gripping engagement with one another or with a bolt in locking position.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of specific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmental side elevation of one embodiment of a keeper and bolt in door-locking position.

v`Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 partly in section showing the keeper and bolt in unlocked position of the door.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

lFig. 4 is a fragmental side elevation partly in section of a second embodiment of a keeper and bolt in doorlocking position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

1n the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the keeper 1 is shown as having a bracket 2 having wings 3 and 4 provided with openings 5 to receive screws 6 or the like to secure the bracket 2 to the `frame 7 of a door. The bracket 2 has a base 8, side walls 9 and 10, and an outer front plate 11. The base plate 8 in this embodiment is provided with a depression 12 to constitute the seat or pivot defining area for the diminished ends or projections 13 and 14 of the jaws 1'5 and 16, respectively. The jaws have comparatively wide intermediate plate portions 17 and 18 which ilare relative to one another as shown in Figs. l and 2. From the plate portions 17 and 18, there extend outwardly the intermediate arms 19 and 20, respectively, which continue into the outer arms 21 and 22, respectively. The arms 21 and 22 constitute the gripping jaws which may be provided with any one of a number of bolt-engaging devi-ces, such as the rollers 23 and 24, respectively, which are mounted on pins 25 and 26, respectively, journalled in the inwardly extending iianges 27 and 28, respectively, extending inwardly from the arms 21 and 22, respectively.

In the present instance the conventional bolt 29 is illustrated as composed of a at piece of metal formed into a head 31), a shank 31 and two outwardly extending flanges 32. and 33 which are provided with openings to receive the screws 34 and 35, respectively, or the like, to secure the bolt 29 to the door 36.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 distinguishes from the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 primarily in that the orifice 37 is provided in the base 38 'to receive the diminished ends 39 and 40 of the jaws 41 and 42, respectively, the diminished ends 39 and 40 being substantially identi-cal to the diminished ends 13 and 14 of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inelusive.

To secure the jaws 15 and 16 against accidental displacement, preferably the side walls 9 and 10 are provided with the arcuate tongues 43 and 44, respectively, extending through the openings 45 and 46 formed in the jaws 15 and 16, respectively, and slidably engaging the inner ends of the openings 45 and 46 to maintain the jaws in substantially predetermined paths of movement.

The jaws 41 and 42 of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 are similarly anchored against accidental dispiacement by the arcuate tongues 47 and 48 extending through the openings formed in the jaws 41 and 42, respectively, as indicated at 50 in jaw 42 only in Fig. 5.

Any number of tension means, such as springs, can be used to urge the two jaw members of the two embodiments into gripping engagement. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 'there are provided two coil springs 51 and 52, the coil spring 51 being tensed between the plate portion 17 and the side wall 9, and the coil spring 52 being tensed between the plate portion 18 and the side wall v10, whereas in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, similar coil springs 53 and 54 are provided.

Excellent results have been achieved when the bracket 2 and jaws 1'5 and 16 are composed of sheet metal, the rollers 23 and 24 composed of a yieldable substance such as rubber, and the springs 51 and 52 composed of the conventional spring steel.

It is obvious that various changes and modificati-ons may be made to the details of construction without departing vfrom the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A keeper for cooperating with a bol't, the keeper having a bracket including tw-o side walls and an inner base, said base having an inner pivot deiining area having sides, two substantially complementary jaws, each jaw having a projection extending into said area and pivotally mounted therein, said projections being confined by the sides .of said area, a broad inner arm portion fulcrumed on the inner face of said base, an intermediate arm portion extending outwardly from said inner arm portion and an outer arm portion aring laterally away from the outer arm portion of the other jaw, a pair of inwardly extending flanges on each of said outer arm portions, a roller journalled between each of said pairs of flanges to engage said bolt in door locking position, coil springs tensed between said side walls and said inner arm portions to urge said rollers int-o central position toward one another into bolt gripping position, and arcuate tongues extending toward one another from said side walls and substantial-ly concentric to said pivot defining area, there being openings in said outer arm portions receiving said tongues with the parts of said outer arm portions at the inner sides and ends of said openings in substantial engagement with s-aid tongues throughout the movement of the outer arm portions into and out of bolt engaging position.

2. A keeper for cooperating with a bolt, the keeper having a bracket including two side walls and an inner base, said base having an outwardly extending depression constituting an inner pivot defining area having sides, two substantially complementary jaws, each jaw having a project-ion extending into said area and pivotally mounted therein, said projections being confined by the sides of said area, a broad inner arm portion fulcrumed on the inner face of said base, an intermediate arm portion eX- tending outwardly from said inner arm portion, and an outer arm portion tlaring laterally away from the outer arm portion of the other jaw, coil springs tensed between said side Walls andl said inner arm4 portions, arcuate tongues extending toward one another from said side walls and substantially concentric to said pivot dening area, there being openings in said outer rm portions receiving said tongues with the parts of the outer arm portions at the inner sides and ends of said openings in substantial engagement with said tongues throughout the movement of the outer arm portions into and out of bolt engaging position, and bolt engaging devices mounted on and extending inwardly from said outer arrn portions to engage said bolt in door locking position.

3. 1n a keeper for coopera-tion with a bolt, the cornbination of a bracket including two sidewalls and an inner base, said -base having an oriice substantially centrally thereof to constitute a pivot defining area having sides,

two substantially identical complementary jaws, each jaw having a projection extending into said orifice and pivotally mounted therein, said projections being coniined by the sides of said area, an inner arm portion disposed adjacent to the inner arm portion of the other jaw, an intermediate arm portion extending away from the intermediate arm portion of the other jaw, and an outer arm portion daring outwardly away from the outer arm portion of the other jaw, the inner end of said inner arm portions 4being wider than said orifices, a pair of flanges extending inwardly from the lateral edges of the outer arm of each jaw, a pin journalled in each pair of fianges, a yieldable roller mounted on each pin, coil springs tensed between said side walls and said inner arm portions to urge said rollers Vinto central position and toward one another into bolt gripping position, and arcuate tongues extending toward one another from the outer edges of said side walls and substantially concentric to said orifice, there being openings in said outer arm portions receiv ing said tongues with the parts of said outer arm portions at the inner sides and ends of said openings in substantial engagement with said tongues throughout the movement of the outer arm portions into and out of bolt engaging position.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,230,920 Nowotny June 26, 1917 2,376,325 Borchers May 22, 1945 2,594,582 Quinn Apr. 29, 1952 2,749,163 Loeb June 5, 1956 

